sprouts

[Dave & Kate N Wales]

Ok so i'm trying to sort out what needs sowing where this month as there is so much to plant i'm a bit confused so tackling one thing at a time. So my toms, peppers and the p******s are have been sowed and i have noticedtha hubby has got the sprouts out of the seed box to be done next but can't remember what we did with them last yr apart from the fact that once they were planted out somethinge them so we had no sprouts last yr. So do you sow them indoors or straight out and can i do them in loo rolls indoors, how deep do their roots need to go as wondering if i can cut the loo rolls in half. Thanks
Katie

[greengas]

I was just about to ask the same question, I have the loo rolls ready and was palnning on putting them in the unheated polytunnel today. I hope this is right?

[Capsid]

I sow sprouts into modules (loo rolls will do but not necessary as the roots don't mind being disturbed), germinate in a greenhouse and then plant out when they have around 4-6 true leaves and are about 4-6" tall.

[Alison]

Sow in modules and then grow on for a bit before planting out so that they are a reasonable size when they get to be a reasonable size. Then remember to protect from cabbage white butterfies and then they'll avoid being munched by the caterpillars. Will be sowing mine either this weekend or the one afterwards.

[oldie]

I use modules or root trainers. I have never been able to get any Brassica to grow from a loo roll inner.

[chris]

By modules, are we talking about seed cell trays?

[Capsid]

By modules, are we talking about seed cell trays?

Yes we are. I use the 3 x5 trays as they have a big volume for the root ball of brassicas to fill.

[greengas]

Sow in modules and then grow on for a bit before planting out so that they are a reasonable size when they get to be a reasonable size. Then remember to protect from cabbage white butterfies and then they'll avoid being munched by the caterpillars. Will be sowing mine either this weekend or the one afterwards.

I feel daft asking this question but what is the best way to protcet them from cabbage whites? I was going to somehow put net around them do I need to build some form of cage like structure if so how high?

[Capsid]

I finally bought some aluminium tubing and joiners from the garden centre to build my own cage to fit my beds. I think it is worth the investment to have some robust structure that will endure from season to season. I think you need to buy tubes that give you about 3 feet height at least for sprouts. So I got 4' high tubes giving me some leeway to push them into the ground.

You can order them online such as from here:

Vegetable cages

but most GCs will sell the individual components and then you can be sure youhave ordered the right stuff

I bought netting from here:

Butterfly Netting, Heavy Duty for Cabbage White Butterfly Protection

and cut it to size.

[Alison]

I feel daft asking this question but what is the best way to protcet them from cabbage whites? I was going to somehow put net around them do I need to build some form of cage like structure if so how high?

Don't feel daft, there's stuff all of us don't know

I protect mine with fine mesh, I use enviromesh but other people use net curtains or whatever but it needs to be very fine as the butterflies can lay eggs through larger holes. You also need to support the net above the plants so that it doesn't touch the leaves, mine is supported on canes about 4' long which form a frame around the bed - see attached piccie.